Sensor sub configuration

ABSTRACT

A sensor sub is provided for use in a tubular handling system, the sensor sub being located adjacent to and removably connected to a saver sub pin connection. The sensor sub collects raw data relating to operation of the tubular handling system, digitizes the raw data and transmits the raw data to a remote receiver. The sensor sub is powerable by one or more commercially available lithium batteries. A battery holder is also provided having a housing for housing batteries in a hazardous environment, wherein the batteries are replaceable within the battery holder while the battery holder remains in the hazardous environment. Finally, a method of replacing a battery in a hazardous environment is also provided.

FIELD OF INVENTION The present disclosure relates to improvements in a sensor sub used in conjunction with oil and gas well drilling and completion operations. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil and gas wells are first drilled using sections of drill pipe progressively threaded together forming a drill string with a drilling bit always at the bottom. During drilling, the top drive provides rotational torque to the drilling bit by way of the drill string. After the initial well is drilled, the drill string is removed and tubing or casing strings, are similarly threaded together and lowered down the wellbore for the purposes of performing operations or producing oil or gas from the well.

During the drilling phase, there is required a means to monitor the forces being applied to the drill string and the drilling bit to ensure that the well is being drilled as efficiently as possible. Primary forces to be monitored include torque applied by the top drive, rotational speed, fluid pressure, and downward weight on the drilling bit. Secondary forces are generated by the interaction of the pipe string and drilling bit with the surrounding formations that can be measured using acceleration sensors. The primary and secondary data can be electronically recorded for future analysis as well as presented graphically to the drilling crew for real-time adjustments.

There is also required a means for determining satisfactory shouldering, engagement and sealing of the connections used to join sections of tubing and casing used during the well completion process. A satisfactory connection can be determined by measuring the amount of torque applied as well as counting the number of rotations (referred to as turns) required to thread the joint together. The torque and turns measured for each connection is recorded and saved for future reference.

In the past, the number of rotations required to secure a drill pipe or casing connection has been measured using a device that must be physically engaged to each new connection. The new method is to determine the number of rotations using inertial measurements. By placing the inertial measurement device on the same tool the measures torque and axial loads, a single sensor sub can be used.

It is desired to use a single sensor (referred to as a “sensor sub”) that can be used for both the drilling and completion phases of a well. The sensor sub will measure the primary forces during drilling and then also be able to measure the individual connections during installation of tubing and casing in the completion phase. The sensor sub is installed below the top drive and as a result, must fit in a very limited space that is also occupied by the manual and remote well control valves as well as the pipe handler.

The most commonly faced problem with previous sensor sub deployments is fitting the sub onto an existing top-drive. The most widely used top drive in the industry has a fixed distance from the drive shaft (referred to as the quill) to the pipe handler. The only way to previously fit a sensor sub in this distance is to increase the length of the torque arrestor that holds the pipe handler as can be seen in FIG. 1. This increased length of the torque arrestor provides the additional space required to install the sensor sub. Increasing the torque arrestor length is costly, and further makes the arrestor difficult to install, as well as the fact that such extended torque arresters are not available for all top drive models.

Power consumption by typical sensor subs in data collection and processing is also traditionally very high, requiring either custom, high power batteries or frequent battery changing, which leads to frequent stoppage in make up operations.

A need therefore exists for providing a sensor sub that is dimensioned such that it can be located within the existing configuration of the top drive such that further lengthening of the torque arrester is not required.

An additional element of the top-drive arrangement is the saver sub as seen in FIG. 1. The saver sub is a short section of drill pipe that is used to protect the threads on the manual valve from the wear and tear of the multiple repeated connections required during the drilling phase.

SUMMARY

A sensor sub is provided for use in a tubular handling system, the sensor sub being located adjacent to and removably connected to a saver sub pin connection.

A sensor sub is further provided for use in a tubular handling system, said sensor sub comprising a sensor sub sensor, wherein said sensor sub sensor collects raw data relating to operation of the tubular handling system, digitizes said raw data and transmits the raw data to a remote receiver.

A sensor sub is further still provided for use in a tubular handling system, said sensor sub being powerable by one or more commercially available lithium batteries.

A battery holder is also provided comprising a housing for housing batteries in a hazardous environment, wherein said batteries are replaceable within the battery holder while the battery holder remains in the hazardous environment.

A method of replacing a battery in a hazardous environment is also provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a battery holder comprising battery housing having an electrical contact area, a removable end cap, and spring formed in the battery housing; placing a battery in the housing, wherein said spring is extended to prevent contact of the battery with the electrical contact area in the battery housing; engaging the end cap to the housing at least a minimum distance to seal off a flame path and isolate the battery from the hazardous environment; and engaging the end cap to the housing fully to cause compression of the spring to allow electrical connection of the battery to the electrical contact area only after the flame path is sealed off.

It is to be understood that other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration.

As will be realized, the invention is capable for other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further, detailed, description of the invention, briefly described above, will follow by reference to the following drawings of specific embodiments of the invention. The drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a typical top drive for a drilling or pipe handling system;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a top drive for a drilling or pipe handling system showing one example of the sensor sub of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a sensor sub of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4a is a schematic diagram of communications between a sensor of one embodiment of a sensor sub of the present invention and a receiver for receiving sensor data;

FIG. 4b is a cross sectional plan view of one example of a sensor sub of the present invention;

FIG. 4c is a perspective view of FIG. 4 b;

FIGS. 5a and 5b are end views of a battery holder of the sensor sub of the present invention in an open and a closed position respectively;

FIG. 5c is a cross sectional elevation view of the battery holder of FIGS. 5a and 5 b;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of one example of a receiver hub of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a remote antenna for use with the receiver hub of FIG. 6.

The drawing is not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order more clearly to depict certain features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

The description that follows and the embodiments described therein are provided by way of illustration of an example, or examples, of particular embodiments of the principles of various aspects of the present invention. These examples are provided for the purposes of explanation, and not of limitation, of those principles and of the invention in its various aspects.

In a first embodiment, the sensor sub 2 is located on a pipe handling system 100, as seen in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the sensor sub 2 is located at below the top-drive 4, and within the saver sub section 6. The new sensor sub 2 will be dimensioned so that it can be a replacement for the saver sub 6 as shown in FIG. 2. Since the sensor sub 2 is now replacing the saver sub 6, the sensor sub 2 must have a replaceable connection 8 on its bottom end (the high wear component) to be cost effective. This is shown in FIG. 3. The replaceable connection 8 is secured by a combination of left and right hand locking collars that prevent loosening cause by drilling vibrations.

The sensors within the sensor sub 2 measure the rotation, torque, fluid pressure, and hook load exerted by the top drive 4 to the drill string or the tubular connection to be made up.

The present sensor sub 2 has been designed to fit without the need for extending the torque arrestor. The present sensor sub 2 design is able to fit it the section typically reserved for the saver sub. The saver sub 6 is a high wear component that is repeatedly connected to each new section of drill pipe as the hole progresses.

To accommodate frequent replacement, in one option, a field-replaceable connection 8 is preferably formed on the bottom of the sensor sub 2, as can be seen in FIG. 3. The replaceable connection 8 is preferably threaded into the sensor sub body using a right-hand thread 10. A locking collar 12 with a left-hand thread can then threaded to secure the replaceable connection 8 to the sensor sub body. The left and right hand thread combination serves to lock the replaceable connection 8 to the sensor sub body. A locking collar with a spline 14 may then optionally be connected over the locking collar 12 to provide additional protection from loosening during drilling.

The present disclosure also provides for an improved sensor sub 2 having a modified electrical sensor design. Sensor sub sensors are used to measure data including pressure, torque, tension, acceleration in all three axis (X, Y, Z), rotations per minute (rpm) rotational turns, and temperature. The sensor sub 2 transmits the measurements to a remote receiver to process said data, and then transmit it in real-time for viewing by the operators

In the present invention, data processing functions have been removed from the sensor sub 2 and are instead conducted by a remote receiver 32 at a receiver hub as seen for example in FIG. 6, which has increased processing capabilities over the sensors. In this way the sensor sub 2 would only digitize the analog signals from the raw data values collected and transmit those digitized signals with no further processing. Most preferably data is transmitted to the receiver 32 using a radio frequency transmitter, although any other means of transmission including near-field communication, Bluetooth, wireless internet, could be used. Preferably, more than one transmitter is used and can be auto-switched to enhance connectivity to the remote receiver hub.

The present sensor sub 2 would still have the ability to simultaneously measure pressure, torque, tension, 3-axis acceleration, rpm, rotational turns, and temperature in real-time. Optionally, one or more spare channels can be made available in the sensors for adding future measurement parameters.

With reference to FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c , a combination of protection methods are preferably incorporated to meet flame and electrical requirements at the well drilling and completion site. The sensor sub 2 uses two methods of protection. Ex d is used for high power devices that exceed the energy storage limitations imposed by the Ex is method. For example, the elements of the sensor sub 2 such as the battery and inertial sensors, labeled ‘Power 1’ Power 2’ and ‘Power 3’ in FIG. 4a , are preferably contained in a flame proof (Ex d) protection for the higher power components. Lower power components such a bridge sensors, seen in more detail in FIG. 4c can be contained in an intrinsically safe (Ex ia) protection. The bridge sensors must be adhered to the load bearing core of the sensor sub 2. The bridge sensors process the sensitive bridge measurements so they can be sent through the sensor barrier to the microprocessor for formatting and RF transmission. This provides a more cost effective way to comply with hazardous area standards worldwide.

One benefit of the remote processing of raw data from the sensors is that allows the use of a smaller, and often lower cost, battery to power the sensor sub 2 than used previously. The present sensor sub 2 hence does not require a complicated and custom battery pack. Instead, the present sensor sub 2 uses a commercially available primary battery that can be locally sourced. This in turn alleviate issues associated with producing and shipping custom lithium battery packs. Lithium battery packs are heavily regulated by local and international agencies for transport and shipping, especially by air, due to the volatile nature of lithium.

The present invention provides a new electronic circuit design to allow the present sensor sub 2 to operate for as long as 30 days on a single commercially available lithium battery, preferably ‘D’ size. Optionally the present sensor sub 2 can be powered by one, two, three or more battery cells. The sensor sub 2 can more preferably operate for 30 days on 1 battery, for 60 days on 2 batteries, or for up to 90 days on 3 batteries. Hazardous area standards refer to this kind of lithium battery as Type E. New developments in low cost, low power sensors and electronics enable the power consumption of the sensor sub 2 to be dramatically reduced. To utilize a user installable commercial battery, a novel battery holder has been developed that can maintain electrical contact despite shock loads, vibrations, and varying temperature ranges experienced in the pipe handling equipment. Commonly, such equipment can experience up to 300 g shock loads, up to 30 g random vibrations, and temperature ranges from −40 C up to 85 C.

The current battery holder design is illustrated in FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c . While this battery holder is described below in connection with the sensor sub of the present invention, it should be noted that this battery holder can be used in connection with any equipment, for housing batteries in a hazardous environment, wherein batteries are replaceable within the battery holder while the battery holder remains in the hazardous environment.

The present battery holder 20 includes a serrated contact area 22 to grip the battery's electrical terminal. The purpose of the serration is to prevent loss of electrical contact due to shock and vibration. The serrated contact 22 is formed on a removable end cap 24 and will preferably have a bearing 26 to allow the end cap 24 to be threaded into the housing without rotating the serrated contact against the battery terminal.

A spring 28 is further preferably provided to urge the battery partially out of the battery holder housing when the end cap 24 is opened, so that the battery can be easily removed. An additional function of the spring 28 is to prevent electrical connection of the battery until a predetermined number of threads, and preferably at least five threads, of the end cap have been engaged. This function may serve to satisfy requirements for “hot swap”, or changing out of batteries in the presence of an explosive atmosphere since the electrical contact is not made until the end cap 24 is nearly secured, to thereby isolate the electrical connection of the battery from the atmosphere. As seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a locking mechanism 30 preferably engages the end cap 24 to prevent it from loosening during drilling.

With reference to FIG. 6, the receiver 32 in the receiver hub is used to digitally process all raw data measurements obtained from the sensor sub 2 sensors to provide values in useful engineering units to external systems. The receiver 32 operates from AC mains power and provides storage and an input/output interface for the processed measurements. Typically, the receiver 32 is located in the central indoor control room of the drilling rig. The RF transmissions from the sensor sub 2 cannot penetrate the metal walls of the control room which requires the use of external antennas that are located outside (usually on the roof) of the control room.

In the present receiver hub 34 design, one or more remote antennas are connected to the receiver hub 34 via a, for example, Controller Area Network (CAN) 36, as seen in FIG. 7. The remote antennas receive radio frequency transmissions from the sensor sub 2 or other sensors and can be remotely located externally for optimum radio frequency reception. The radio frequency sensor signals are received and then sent to the receiver using the CAN connection or other suitable connection network.

The main input/output data connection for the receiver hub 34 is preferably an ethernet connection, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The ethernet connection allows multiple receiver hubs to be interconnected to form a local network. By setting one receiver hub 34 as a server and further receiver hubs as clients, any number of receiver hubs can be connected to accommodate any number of sensor inputs. Ethernet also preferably connects directly to displays and laptop computers for logging drilling and pipe handling operations. The receiver hub can also include a wireless internet connection for additional data networking capability when ethernet cabling is not practical. Additional inputs and outputs of data stream from the sub can also be connected to the receiver hub.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to those embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular, such as by use of the article “a” or “an” is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more”. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or “step for”. 

1. A method of fabricating an electrode film suitable for use as an electrode, and said method comprising the steps of; (a) blending a composition comprising: (i) greater than 60 percent by weight of active particles; (ii) up to 15 percent by weight of at least one fibrillatable polymer binder; (iii) up to 15 percent by weight of spherical conductive particles; and (iv) up to 10 percent by weight of conductive flakes, to form a pre-fibrillated paste; (b) extruding said paste into an extruded product; and (c) rolling said extruded product to produce an electrode film, wherein extruding and rolling serve to fibrillate the fibrillatable polymer binder.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the active particles are selected from a group consisting of activated carbon particles, sulfur-impregnated activated carbon particles, lithium-oxygen containing compounds, stabilized lithium metal powders, metal oxide particles, metal sulfide particles, metal nitride particles and combinations thereof.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the particle size of said active particles ranges from 1-50 microns
 4. (canceled)
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fibrillatable polymers are selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, co-polymers, various polymer blends, natural or synthetic rubbers, polyamide, polyurethane, liquid resins, silicon, elastomeric polymers, olefinic polymers and combinations thereof.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said conductive particles are spherical conductive particles.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the spherical conductive particles are selected from the group consisting of carbon black particles, super P carbon particles, super C65 carbon particles and combinations thereof.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the spherical conductive particles have a particle size less than 1 micron.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive flakes are selected from a group consisting of metal flakes, preferably, aluminum flakes, graphite flakes, graphene, expanded graphite flakes, conductive polymer flakes and combinations thereof.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductive flakes have the diameter in the range of 1-40 microns.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The method of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said conductive flakes is in the range of 0.001 micron to 5 microns.
 14. (canceled)
 15. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a liquid lubricant to said composition.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the liquid lubricant is added at a proportion of up to 5 times the weight of the other components in the composition.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the liquid lubricant is selected from the group consisting of water, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, dispersion aids, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, surfactants, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, acetone, chloroform, xylene, lsopars™ and combinations thereof.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of blending is carried out in a blending machine capable of applying shear forces to the said composition.
 19. (canceled)
 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of extruding and rolling of the fibrillated composition are carried out at room temperature.
 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of extruding and rolling the fibrillated composition is carried out at a temperature and pressure equivalent to the softening point of said fibrillatable polymers.
 22. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrode film has a tensile strength higher than 0.04 kg/mm².
 23. (canceled)
 24. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of pressing the said electrode film onto a current collector to form an electrode used in energy storage devices.
 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the current collector is selected from the group consisting of a metal foil, an alloy foil, a metal mesh, an alloy mesh, a conductive carbon cloth, an etched metal foil and a coated metal foil.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the metal foil, alloy foil, metal mesh, alloy mesh and etched metal foil are comprised of metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, and titanium.
 27. (canceled)
 28. (canceled)
 29. The method of claim 25 wherein a coated metal foil is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-coated metal foil and an adhesive film-coated metal foil.
 30. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of energy storage devices, filters and catalyst supporters.
 31. The method of claim 24 wherein the energy storage devices are selected from the group consisting of electrical double-layer capacitors, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion capacitors, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage devices.
 32. An electrode film suitable for use as an electrode, and said electrode film comprising: (a) greater than 60 percent by weight of active particles; (b) up to 15 percent by weight of at least one fibrillatable polymer binder; (c) up to 15 percent by weight of spherical conductive particles; and (d) up to 10 percent by weight of conductive flakes.
 33. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the active particles are selected from a group consisting of activated carbon particles, sulfur-impregnated activated carbon particles, lithium-oxygen containing compounds, stabilized lithium metal powders, metal oxide particles, metal sulfide particles, metal nitride particles and combinations thereof.
 34. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the particle size of said active particles ranges from 1-50 microns
 35. (canceled)
 36. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the fibrillatable polymers are selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, co-polymers, various polymer blends, natural or synthetic rubbers, polyamide, polyurethane, liquid resins, silicon, elastomeric polymers, olefinic polymers and combinations thereof.
 37. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein said conductive particles are spherical conductive particles.
 38. The electrode film of claim 37 wherein the spherical conductive particles are selected from the group consisting of carbon black particles, super P carbon particles, super C65 carbon particles and combinations thereof.
 39. The electrode film of claim 38 wherein the spherical conductive particles have a particle size less than 1 micron.
 40. (canceled)
 41. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the conductive flakes are selected from a group consisting of metal flakes, preferably, aluminum flakes, graphite flakes, graphene, expanded graphite flakes, conductive polymer flakes and combinations thereof.
 42. The electrode film of claim 41 wherein the conductive flakes have the diameter in the range of 1-40 microns.
 43. (canceled)
 44. The electrode film of claim 42 wherein the thickness of said conductive flakes is in the range of 0.001 micron to 5 microns.
 45. (canceled)
 46. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the electrode film has a tensile strength higher than 0.04 kg/mm².
 47. (canceled)
 48. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein said electrode film is pressed onto a current collector to form an electrode used in energy storage devices.
 49. The electrode film of claim 48 wherein the current collector is selected from the group consisting of a metal foil, an alloy foil, a metal mesh, an alloy mesh, a conductive carbon cloth, an etched metal foil and a coated metal foil.
 50. The electrode film of claim 49 wherein the metal foil, alloy foil, metal mesh, alloy mesh and etched metal foil are comprised of metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, and titanium.
 51. (canceled)
 52. (canceled)
 53. The electrode film of claim 49 wherein a coated metal foil is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-coated metal foil and an adhesive film-coated metal foil.
 54. The electrode film of claim 32 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of energy storage devices, filters and catalyst supporters.
 55. The electrode film of claim 48 wherein the energy storage devices are selected from the group consisting of electrical double-layer capacitors, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion capacitors, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage devices. 